Summary

The Excel POWER function raises a number to a chosen power. For example, =POWER(5,2) means 5 squared, which is 25. =POWER(2,10) means 2 multiplied by itself 10 times, which gives 1024.

POWER gives the same result as the ^ operator. So =POWER(5,2) and =5^2 are equivalent. Many people use POWER when they want the formula to read more clearly, especially when the base or exponent comes from another cell.

Syntax

=POWER(number, power)

The first argument is the base number. The second argument is the exponent. In simple terms, Excel reads this as "raise this number to this power."

Arguments

• number - [required] The base value you want to raise.
• power - [required] The exponent to apply to the base.

POWER vs Other Options

If you only need a square root, SQRT is easier to read. But if you need cube roots, fourth roots, or any other custom exponent, POWER is more flexible.

Using POWER

The easiest way to think about POWER is repeated multiplication. =POWER(3,2) means 3 times 3. =POWER(3,3) means 3 times 3 times 3. That makes POWER useful for common tasks like squaring values, calculating areas, and working with repeated growth.

POWER also works with fractional exponents. That is how you can use it for roots. For example, =POWER(27,1/3) returns 3 because 3 x 3 x 3 equals 27. A square root is the same idea with 1/2, so =POWER(100,1/2) returns 10.

Another common use is compound growth. In formulas such as interest, each period builds on the previous one, so you raise a growth factor to a number of periods. That is why POWER appears often in finance, forecasting, and growth models.

Example 1 - Square a Number

This is the simplest use of POWER.

=POWER(B1,2)

If B1 contains 5, the result is 25. This works because squaring a number means multiplying it by itself once. It is a common pattern in geometry, statistics, and many everyday formulas.

Example 2 - Find a Cube Root

A fractional exponent can be used to find a root.

=POWER(B2,1/3)

If B2 contains 27, the result is 3. That is because the cube root asks, "what number multiplied by itself three times gives 27?" POWER lets you do that with the exponent 1/3.

Example 3 - Calculate Compound Growth

This is a very practical use of POWER.

=POWER(1+B3,C3)

If B3 is 0.05 and C3 is 3, Excel calculates 1.05^3, which gives 1.157625. This is the growth factor after 3 periods at 5% growth each period. You can then multiply that result by a starting amount to get a final value.

Example 4 - Use a Dynamic Exponent

Both arguments can come from cells.

=POWER(B4,C4)

If B4 is 2 and C4 is 10, the result is 1024. This is useful when the base or the exponent may change, because you can update the cells without rewriting the formula.

A few small behaviors are worth remembering. If the exponent is 0, the result is always 1. If the exponent is negative, POWER returns a reciprocal, so =POWER(2,-3) returns 0.125. Some combinations, such as a negative base with a fractional exponent, can return #NUM!.

• Use POWER(number,1/n) to find an nth root.
• Use POWER(1+rate,periods) for repeated growth.
• Use the ^ operator if you want a shorter formula, but use POWER if it reads more clearly.

Conclusion Recap

• Summary: POWER raises a number to a chosen exponent.
• Syntax: =POWER(number,power)
• Flexible use: It works for squares, cubes, roots, and repeated growth.
• Common pattern: Use fractional exponents such as 1/3 for roots.
• Practical use: It is especially useful in growth and finance formulas.